Georgia blocks UAE residents at airport
dubai — The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) is investigating reports of alleged mistreatment of UAE citizens and residents at Georgia airports.
In a statement, the ministry said it is closely following up reports circulating on social media that a number of UAE nationals were subjected to ill-treatment at Georgia’s airports, with many forced to turn back.
“The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, along with the UAE Embassy in Tbilisi, are seriously monitoring the issue and giving it great consideration.
“The ministry is following up the conditions of the UAE citizens in Georgia and is working to provide them with all the care and services they need during their presence in Georgia,” the statement read.
Despite official visa stipulations stating Emiratis and UAE expatriates (holding a legal UAE resident permit) receive a visa on arrival to Georgia, the reality for some travellers has been on the contrary.
Many claim they have been refused entry upon arrival to the popular holidaying destination.
Several UAE residents who reached out to Khaleej Times allege they were turned away at Tbilisi International Airport, for “no valid reason”. On June 14, an Eid get-
away for husband and wife, A. Begum and B. Mustafa, turned into a nightmare when they were deported by Georgia Immigration.
Working as an engineer and a banker in the UAE for 20 years, the couple — both in their 50s — said they were left “shocked” after being questioned by police and immigration officials for two hours. “They separated us from other passengers and asked us to wait with some others, mostly Pakistan passport holders.”
The couple had to explain the reason for their visit and Mustafa was interrogated about his occupation back in Dubai. “After waiting more than two hours, we were escorted by a policeman to another place, and to our surprise, we were thrown back on a flight. We were deported without any explanation.”
Not only did the couple lose thousands of dirhams on flights and hotel bookings, they described the ordeal as “physically and mentally humiliating”. And Begum believes their nationality may have had something to do with it.
“My husband is a Palestinian holding Syrian travel documents and I am a Bangladeshi national. But we went through their visa requirement policy.
“It said a UAE resident with a valid residence permit does not need to obtain any prior visa, it is on arrival, so we fulfilled all the requirements through the travel agent.”
Calling on the UAE government to look into the issue, she said she is still baffled by the way they were treated by Georgian authorities.
“We deserve an answer for this ruthless behaviour.”
Sadly, this seems to be the plight of many travelling to the country.